General Spectator Information
 

The Rose City Classic Winter Show, scheduled for January 18 – 22, 2023 is being held indoors at the Portland Expo Center. It offers numerous canine events from breed judging to agility, obedience, trick dogs, Meet-the-Breeds, and many more activities

Admission Price

Buy your tickets online here and avoid the lines 
$15 per person
$30 per family [up to 5]
$25 Two-day pass, individual
$40 Two-day pass, family
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
Seniors [62+] are free on Thurs. and Fri., full price on Saturday and Sunday

Location: The Rose City Classic is held at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center (Expo) at 2060 No. Marine Drive, Portland, Oregon 97217.  Click here for directions to Expo, then click on directions for a map.

Transportation: Drive your car, take a bus or ride Max. Light rail will take you all the way and deliver you right into the parking lot at Expo! To plan your trip, go to the Tri-met website. Please note that the Expo charges $12 for parking.

Show dates: Rose City Classic will begin on Wednesday, January 18 with numerous individual breed shows, and the 4 all-breed shows run Thursday through Sunday, January 18-22, 2023. Conformation (breed judging) and agility run Thursday through Sunday. Trick Dogs and Canine Good Citizen are held on Thursday and Friday. Obedience, Rally and Scent Work trials are held on Saturday and Sunday. Competition for Beginner Puppies, 4-6 months old is held on Saturday. Check back for the judging program on around January 12. 

Show hours: The Expo is open to the public at 7:30 am each day. The official show hours are from 8 am until 6 pm but variety group and Best-in-Show judging often run later.

Schedule of events: Owners can enter their dogs in the Rose City Classic shows until January 4, 2023. After that date the show is said to be closed. Scheduling the various show events cannot take place until then. To see the schedule, please check back around January 12 and the schedule will be posted on the home page.

Rose City Classic is fun for the whole family. Plan to come early and stay all day. Breed judging and agility start at 8 am and depending on the size of the entry and the particular event, the shows can run until 6 pm or later.

The best days for spectators to attend are Thursday through Sunday, the days of the all-breed shows. That’s when the largest number of dogs will be showing. If you are interested in seeing purebred dogs, this is the show to attend! It is one of the biggest dog shows in America and attracts top dogs from virtually all breeds and varieties. If you want to see a particular breed or locate a breeder, these are great shows to visit. 

If you are looking for a specific breed, watch for information on this year’s Meet-the-Breeds ShowcaseIt’s an exciting attraction at the Rose City Classic that provides the public with a great opportunity to meet experienced local AKC breeders and receive information about a breed they are considering for their family. It will also give them a chance to interact with a breed.

Meet the Breeds is offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Around January 12 a schedule showing when the various breeds will be showcased will be posted on the home page under schedule of events. Last year more than 70 breeds participated. 

Still more to see! The Rose City Classic hosts great AKC agility trials on Thursday through Sunday. Getting to watch some of the fastest canine athletes in the US is fun for the whole family.  

The Rose City Classic supports AKC obedience and offers a premier venue for competition at all levels. This year we are pleased to host two obedience trials on both weekend days (4 in all). Come watch some of the best trained dogs in America do what they love best! Whether your dog competes in dog sports or simply shares your home, they’ll benefit tremendously from basic obedience training. Training and competing in obedience build a lifetime bond between dog and owner. That’s why we think that obedience is so important and that’s why we have given it such a prominent position in our show.

AKC Rally® is a fun family sport. It’s a perfect starting point for newcomers to canine sports. Rally provides a challenging introduction to all AKC Companion Events as well as a perfect venue for dogs and handlers to strengthen their skills. Rally is fun for dogs and owners alike, and serves as a link between non-competitive events and competitive dog sports such as obedience and agility, and the AKC Canine Good Citizen® Test. In Rally, unlimited communication from the handler to the dog is encouraged. Stop by the obedience rings and watch Rally and obedience.

On Saturday and Sunday, in addition to the major competitions already mentioned, there will be competition for Trick Dogs, a Canine Temperament Test and an AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) test. CGC promotes responsible dog ownership and basic good manners for dogs. Passing dogs get a Canine Good Citizen® Certificate, which some county animal control agencies and many landlords and insurance companies recognize and reward. 

Each year, the Rose City Classic offers a student art contest featuring a theme about dogs. The competition is sponsored by VCA Animal Hospitals. The contest encourages youngsters to develop their artistic talent and promotes responsible dog ownership. About 500 pieces of artwork by local students are presented at the Rose City Classic each year.

In addition to the events and contests, RCC attracts a huge number of top dog product vendors from all over the US. From dog photography to dog bedding, jewelry, fine art and toys, it’s all at the Rose City Classic!